Daybreak
by TheButterflyx
Summary: Bella runs away from home as she is feeling unfulfilled in her life, little does she know that this decision will alter her life forever.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This was an idea that my writing buddy Yasmin came up with and wanted me to write for her. So I am even though I have no love for Twilight, Bella's going to be a little different than in the books but don't worry I am above character hate writing.

Disclaimer: I thank God that I don't own Twilight and the plot is entirely my writing buddy's.

* * *

_The heavy scent of pine trees lingered all around me, the scent matched the scenery. Everything was completely green. And that's when I knew where I was. I was in Forks, my hometown, why I was there I honestly had no idea. But I'd been having the same dream for quite some time now and it had always ended the same way._

_I heard a cry in the distance, it wasn't a human sound but it was a sound helpless enough for me to instinctively go to it. What if it was a wounded animal? What if it was hurt? So once again I made my way through that pathway that seemed to pave its way through the trees. I don't know why I kept doing this as I knew what was down there but I just couldn't stop it. I needed to get down there._

_I found my way into a clearing; it was beautifully adorned with white flowers. The air was light and carefree but something else hung in the air, something that screamed danger. And that's when I saw it. I saw the crimson liquid smeared over the flowers staining it's once purity. My eyes trailed after the blood, I didn't want to look... I pleaded with myself not to look but I just couldn't stop it. Finally my gaze settled on the cause of the disturbance. The beast. The beautiful monster feasting on a half-dead animal, I gaped as I saw the animal's eyes glaze over knowing that moment by moment it's life was slipping away. I involuntarily took a step back and somehow the beast noticed. As he stood and turned I couldn't even notice that his front was equally as glorious as his behind, even with his mouth and clothes coated in red._

_I gasped, though I was unsure if this was out of fear or awe. Not that either way it mattered to the beast, for he just smiled coldly at me and made his way over to me slowly._

"_You should not have come here," was all he said before he lunged at me._

_

* * *

_

My body jolted up in my bed slick with sweat causing my pyjama top to cling to it. Just another fucked up dream... I kept telling myself this but I knew I wasn't going to be going back to sleep anytime soon. I tucked my hair behind my ears and leaned over my bedside to check my clock. It was 7:30 am... on a Saturday. I inwardly groaned and threw the covers off of my body, swinging my feet over to touch the cold hardboard flooring of my bedroom. I went over to my drawer and pulled it open and took out my scrapbook. Then I made my way back over to my bed with a pencil and began scribbling away.

By the time my parents were awake; their breakfast was already on the table and cooling off. I was forever awake before my parents; they were late sleepers... if that's what they were actually doing in the morning. I was washed, dressed and ready to get out on the city. Not that today was going to be any different to any other weekend.

Phoenix was like most cities. It was full of blinding lights and bustling commotion. I suppose I would mind it more if I was one of these girls who lived to stand out and to have constant eyes and attention on me. However I wasn't, I was more like one of these girls who just liked to fade into the background. I was the face at the corner of your eye; blink and you'll just miss me. Josie liked to call me Houdini since sometimes it was really like I wasn't there. Josie was the closest thing I had to a best friend in this city, I hadn't many friends so to speak not that I really minded. My own company was the best that I actually had if I was quite honest.

I don't know what it was, it was just like one day I just woke and realized that I'd skipped a decade or something. All the trivial conversations that high school girls and boys had alike were the exact same thing. Who was dating who and who was wearing what and so on. Sometimes I really just wanted to jump out of my chair and scream that I didn't give a damn, but that was a little bold for someone like me and it wasn't like anyone would actually hear me anyway.

But I did have that certain special someone in my life. My scrapbook of course. Scrappy and I have been in a relationship for the past six years when I realized that drawing was one of the very few things I could do without screwing up. Since then I haven't truly been without him and I didn't want to imagine life where I was.

"Mornin' Bells," I heard my dad say as he walked in and planted a kiss at the top of my head

"Morning Big Guy," was my reply as I twiddled my pencil in my fingers. I hadn't called my dad by the proper term since I was nine. Not that he really minded, in fact making up random nicknames for each other on the spot were sort of what we did. I drew the line at HellBells though I mean... seriously?

"Breakfast ready on the table as usual," said my father with a beaming grin on his face "what did we ever do to deserve an angel like you?"

"Beats me," said my mother as she came over and planted a kiss on my cheek "good morning sweetie," my mother was also a close personal friend of mine. I felt like I could talk to her about anything because most of the time she seemed like a teenage girl herself. That's sort of how it was in our home; I was more the parent than the child. Maybe that was my problem; maybe if I was looked after more as a child I'd act more like one.

"Morning mum," I picked up my glass of orange juice and polished it off "right, I'm off," I placed Scrappy in my satchel and threw the bag over my shoulder.

"Bye Bella," my mum chirped as she began to cut into her eggs, my dad however, simple waved me off. I smiled back and wrapped my arms around my mother, breathing her in before doing the same to my dad. I gave them one last wave before I shut the door behind me.

Once the door was closed I slumped against the door and took in a deep breath. I felt a smile tug at my lips as I saw my Mazda MX-5 Miata parked in the driveway. My baby. It wasn't the flashiest most expensive car ever but it was all mine and it had could go to a pretty good speed when I wanted it to. Which I did frequently, after all my life was filled with few thrills. I popped open the boot of my car to place my satchel in along with all the other bags I'd managed to stuff in there. I sighed and wondered if I was making a big mistake, and reminded myself of what had brought me to this in the first place.

* * *

I was not a spontaneous girl, I had never recalled doing something in my life that had been thoroughly planned and thought out and this was no exception. I loved my parents I really did but I knew I just knew I couldn't stay here without my head exploding. So I closed the boot of my car and got in the front seat, put the key in ignition and drove away from my home.

I had no idea where I thought I was going, I just kept driving, for once I was genuinely following my instincts and I felt as if they would tell me where to go. As the drive began to run into night time I parked my car on a parking lot and slept there. I didn't really care whether or not this got me into trouble; I was an eighteen year old girl on the run after all. Dawn arrived and I felt the rays of the sun gliding over my windscreen. I opened my wide brown eyes and revved up the engine again.

I passed over multiple stores when I could no longer ignore my stomach's cries for attention. Finally I pulled over at a diner; it was nothing special in fact it looked sort of like those 50's diners you always saw on TV. I started to fantasize about pancakes feeling my mouth watering at the very thought.

Once I was inside I made a beeline straight for the queue. Though as I passed one of the tables I heard muffled giggles emerge from the group of girls sitting on there. My head whipped around to them, my brow furrowed as I tried to think about what they could possibly be laughing at. I'd given my appearance a brief overview before I went inside and I thought I looked as okay as I could for someone like me. Or maybe it was the fact that it something deep set into my skin that made me different from them. I had to remind myself that it didn't matter, that they probably weren't even laughing at me. But all I could hear was the constant giggling and the occasional whisper here and there.

Finally I turned towards them.

"I'm sorry is there something funny?" I asked them "because if there if then please share the joke, I could do with a laugh myself."

The girls looked from one to the other and began giggling again. I rolled my eyes, why am I wasting my time here? Of course they aren't going to answer me.

"You know what... never mind," I turned away to resume my quest for the queue but instead I ended up skidding over a small puddle of syrup and collapsing to the ground. It didn't hurt merely enough as it should have, perhaps my ass had built up some tolerance against hard surfaces from all the ones I'd actually fallen upon. The worst damage would actually have to have been done to my pride.

"Oh my goodness Miss," cooed the waitress as she took my hand and hauled me up on my feet. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." I sighed rubbing the back of my head "you might want to put a sign on that though you know, before someone gets hurt," I rolled my eyes and walked past the table of girls attempting to ignore their hushed whispers and giggles once more.

After that small mishap I was back in my car and ready to drive along again. As I drove further along I couldn't help but feel that I'd been here before, this place, it had something oddly familiar about it. It was only when I passed the welcoming sign did I realize.

**Welcome to Port Angeles **it read.

I'd come home.


	2. Chapter 2

_I didn't write this one on my own some help was given to me by my writing buddy on this one._

_Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight...  
_

* * *

Being back in Forks felt strange, yet as I passed through all the unfamiliar sights and sounds I began to feel oddly nostalgic of Phoenix. Though I felt my stomach flutter as my eyes darted over the trees, not only because it was a reminder that I was so very far away from home but because I was reminded of that recurring dream I kept having. I put that out of my mind however as I drove over to my old house.

It was technically still ours as my parents hadn't actually sold it yet; it was just a little empty that's all with only the basics being left behind. I got out of the car and slammed it shut with only Scrappy to accompany me as I stepped back into my old home. All my distant childhood memories came flooding back to me as soon as I stepped through the door. Apart from some missing furniture it was almost like I had never left.

I got to work immediately, bringing in all of my belongings and placing them in my old bedroom slowly returning it back to its former state. I smiled; quite pleased with myself as I had only tripped down the stairs twice. It would be different, living alone but somehow I felt that it was going to be okay.

I had been in the living room when I saw it. I decided that the best thing to do was give the house a little clean up as it was looking a little dusty and my mother had never been the domestic type. So I got to work armed with a feather duster and a broom and as I was dusting the shelves I saw it. A family photo that must've been taken at least a few months ago; my mother insists we at least take one a year to see how different we look in each one. Gently, I picked up the portrait, pressed it against my chest and sank to the ground.

What on Earth did I think I was doing here? This was crazy... and that's when it finally sunk in. I'd run away, I'd run away from my home and had no intention of returning. How would they react when the find out? The gnawing feeling in my stomach returned with a vengeance as I considered living alone. It wasn't the fact that I'd be alone that scared me, it was just the fact that I'd been so used to having my parents around to bring in money from a job or just being there in their chipper mood in the mornings. I would have to get a job of course, that much was obvious. And I also knew as much as I detested it... I would have to go back to school. A new school.

A heavy feeling began to sit on my chest making it hard for me to breathe. I had to get out of here... just for a little bit... I had to get out. I placed the photo in my pocket and pulled myself to my feet and made for the door.

Being in the fresh clear air of Forks just seemed to make it worse. Even that was different, the air of Phoenix was much more heavy and polluted, but then so was everything else. In comparison Forks looked so small and so... vacant. But it was better than how it was before, being the city girl, another face amongst many. So easy to just fade out into the background, so easy to just fade out completely. I knew I wasn't going to survive in that type of world.

I ran a hand through my slightly unruly hair; I needed to go somewhere to clear my head. To get away from the endless roaring in my mind. So I ran, I took to the forest like I did in my car a day ago, the winding pathways just seemed to part itself through the trees. I panted heavily and stopped when my legs could take me no further and just leaned back against a tree. This scene was so eerily familiar yet at the time I couldn't put my finger on it. All around me were trees; all I could smell and feel was nature in all its pristine glory.

A cry was heard in the distance. My head whipped around to it, I knew it wasn't a human; it was far too animalistic for it to be. But it seemed that whatever it was, was hurt and in trouble. Now I wasn't this brilliant saviour, I could never find the nerve to climb up in a tree just to get a cat down from there without the fear of breaking my neck. But the cry of the animal sounded so helpless and so pathetic that it mirrored exactly how I was feeling inside. And I wanted to help.

I rushed down the pathway in the direction of the cry. I hoped that perhaps it would cry out again just to give me a sense of direction. But it appeared that I was all on my own in this one. However it didn't take me long before I found myself in a clearing. Now this was far too familiar for its own good... _turn back Bella, turn back now... _curiosity triumphed over fear and I braved myself to step further in, and the sweet smell of flowers filled my nostrils.

This place was beautiful; it was just like the place from my dream. It was funny that I should think that now, especially since I made the same stupid mistake that I kept doing repeatedly every night since I had this dream. But this time when I saw the blood stained flowers a hand went to my mouth to stifle the shriek I knew was coming.

My eyes trailed up to the beast, it seemed more fixated on finishing off his meal than to deal with me at the current moment. I studied the beast with its head knelt over the mountain lion draining its life away. Any normal person would've been heading for the hills now but my body had completely frozen. What was that thing? Its skin seemed to glitter in the rays of the sun... like a thousand tiny diamonds were embedded in it.

Suddenly, the beast lifted its head and I figured that by now it was done with its meal. My legs finally found themselves again and I took off into the trees hoping to go unnoticed. This scene had replayed too many times for me to allow it to end the same way in reality. I attempted to go back the way I came but there were too many pathways leading to too many areas that I just ran where I thought the beast wouldn't find me.

There were trees everywhere I turned and everything looked exactly the same. I attempted to make sense of the area I was in when I tripped over a tree trunk and tumbled over. I heard a deafening crack in my ear which could only mean one thing. I placed my hand over my throbbing forearm and bit my lip to stop myself crying out in pain. _Oh I need to get out... someone help me get out..._

I pushed myself up on one hand cradling my arm as I walked along further. My eyes came across a clear pathway in the trees and I let out a gasp of relief.

Now this was a place I knew I was going to become acquainted with over time. I sat perfectly still on the hospital bed as Dr Cullen started to inspect my arm. His hands were like ice against my skin and the pun about doctor's hands being cold began to play on my mind but honestly this was slightly pushing it.

"Well Miss Swan, it looks like a clean break, you'll be healed up in no time." Dr Cullen smiled reassuringly at me, I for one, was just grateful that it wasn't my drawing arm I had broken. I can't imagine how miserable I would've been to have my arm in a cast and not be able to draw for a few weeks.

"That's great Dr Cullen," I replied, I thought back to the scene in the woods and felt a shudder. That creature... it was unlike anything I'd ever seen before, whatever it was. I had to wonder if it had just been a figment of my imagination... perhaps all this was making me go insane. Either way I was going to keep what I saw to myself, the last thing I wanted was to be committed to a mental institution on my first day here.

The door of the hospital room swung open and there appeared a boy in the doorway clutching a slip of paper in his hand.

"Hey, Dr. Cullen! That medical prescription you gave me for my allergy-"

"Mr. Newton, if you'd just-"

"Oh hey, I didn't see you there you new in town?" The brown haired teen asked he flashed me a smile

"Uh, yeah, I guess," I replied, cautiously.

I suppose I am 'new in town'. This was my home now...

"I go Forks High. Guess you'll be going? Perhaps I could show you around sometime you know... take in the sights," Mr. Newton offered doing a finger gun gesture, my brow furrowed at him... he was rather odd.

"Uh yeah... of course... sometime," I replied giving my best impression of a smile

"Cool I mean perhaps I could drive you to school sometime or something?" he attempted to lean on the counter but his hand slipped and he knocked his body against the hard surface.

Dr. Cullen coughed, interrupting Mr. Newton's rambling.

"Mike, if you'd like, we could discuss matters after I've spoken to Miss Swan. Yes?" Dr. Cullen politely suggested, clearly trying to steer Mike away from our conversation.

"Does the Swan have a first name?" Mike asked, blatantly eyeing me up and down as he turned towards the waiting room.

What?

"Bella, my name is Bella," what was I to do?

"Bella... Beautiful Swan... it fits I mean you're very... uh yeah, I'll see you Bella," Mike said with a wink

"Bye Mike," I said quietly, waving awkwardly. And off Mike was.

Dr. Cullen was waiting patiently, now looking at me kindly, a small smile upon his pale face.

"I do apologize. Not all of Forks' residents behave this way. Although, I doubt they'd all, appreciate" - he worded carefully – "you in quite that same way."

"Right," I replied, taking in what had just happened. A very confused expression refused to leave my face.

Huh, country boys...

"He's harmless enough," Dr. Cullen chuckled gently, reading my thoughts exactly. "So all we need is to sign you out, would you like me to call someone?" there wasn't really anyone to call that could come and get me but I did owe a call to my parents to explain all this to them.

"I'd like to call my parents," I said, the doctor nodded then he studied me for a while.

"Forgive me if I'm wrong but would you happen to be Charlie Swan's daughter?" he asked

I nodded "yep, that's my dad,"

"Oh I thought so, how is he doing in Phoenix? If I may ask, the town was very sad to see him go," He smiled and I found myself smiling back, Dr Cullen had one of those rare smiles that made you feel as if everything would suddenly be okay.

"He's doing good, but he's not here I mean... I came alone," I said as I hopped off the bed, I wasn't ready to explain to a doctor I'd just met that I was a stowaway from home. I picked up the phone and dialled my dad's number. It had only been able to ring twice before it was answered.

"Hello?" my dad's voice sounded so frantic, I had done that, and I felt horrible about it.

"...Hi Big Guy," I managed to croak out

"Bella? Where the hell are you?"

"I'm in Forks,"

There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

"_Forks?"_

I was so dead when my father and I met up again.

"I can explain, I figured I'm eighteen now and I just thought well... it'd be good for me to live alone for a little while." I explained "I know I should've told you and mum but it was sort of a spur of the moment thing."

"Bella what were you thinking? Do you know how hard it is living alone for the first time? What about school? What about money?"

"I've taken this all into consideration, I swear..." my voice trailed off when I felt a hand on my shoulder; I looked into the kind face of Dr Cullen.

"May I?" he asked gesturing to the phone, I handed it over to him, perhaps he would be able to do a better job of this than I would.

I waited whilst Dr Cullen began to speak to my father in gentle tones. I tried to assess how the conversation was going judging by his body language, but he was too composed. I got the occasional nod and solemn face once in a while but apart from that I drew up blank. Finally the call ended and he turned to me with a disappointed expression.

"I spoke with your father Bella, is it true that you ran away from home?" the way he said it made me sound like every other teenage runaway, which I wasn't, I wasn't running away because I hated my parents or because I was trying to make a statement, I was running from a life I knew I would never achieve anything from. Why couldn't anyone understand that?

"I... not in so many words, I mean I just felt like I needed a change I wanted my life to change and..." I took a deep breath

"I see," Dr Cullen said with a nod "I've told your father that I personally will take care of you, I will sort out education arrangements, employment, anything you need really Bella and your father said that he will provide money for you once a month also."

Whatever I'd been expecting, it surely hadn't been this. I'd been all set and ready to get my butt booted back to Phoenix, but it appeared I was getting a reprieve.

"Oh thank you Dr Cullen, you have no idea how much this means to me," I gushed

Dr Cullen waved a hand dismissively "oh please, it was nothing really I can see that you have a reason for what you did and that you've taken everything into consideration, so I figure I'd do an old friend of mine a favour."

I beamed at him "thank you so much, and I'll be sure to come to you with any questions," I got up and made my way over to the door.

"Of course," Dr Cullen said as he took a seat at his desk "oh and Bella?"

"Yes," I asked halting at the door

"Call me Carlisle,"


End file.
